is it’s not that young adults or collegeage students don’t care. It’s that we don’t
ever create opportunities for people to talk
about these issues. We act as if talking
about politics is something that is taboo.
People are afraid to try out the way something sounds.”
Brendan Bilski, who works at the Speech
Lab as well as in North C living center as
a resident assistant, agreed. He thinks that
it’s not apathy that’s keeping many students
from actively engaging in the election process, but a lack of understanding.
“We just don’t talk about politics anymore, so we don’t know what direction to
look in, much less to actually pin down. So,

I remember the first presidential
debate I ever saw. It was October 1992, and I was a freshman at
Michigan State University. President
George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton and
Ross Perot met face-to-face for the
debate in East Lansing, moderated by
Jim Lehrer. The Wharton Center was
filled to capacity and the debate was
televised worldwide.
There were surprisingly few student tickets handed out for that event,
and I was fortunate to have one. All
three candidates spoke with such certainty and conviction. The atmosphere
in the building was electric. After
the debate, I was interviewed by one
of the Detroit newspapers and asked
to “grade” the candidates on their
performance.
I was an obvious choice to share a
“student’s perspective.” I was a recent
high school graduate with years of
varsity debate experience and multiple
championship trophies. I was a firsttime voter, and now a member of the
debate team at MSU.
But I struggled with that interview.
How could I give one grade to each
candidate when there were so many
different dimensions of each performance? President Bush had a strong
opening statement, but struggled to

SEE VOTE, A2

SEE WATCH, A2

GETTY IMAGES | COURTESY

Agree to disagree: President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney discuss topics during the most recent presidential debate at Hofstra University.

Students gather at GV to watch round two of the presidential debates
BY ANYA ZENTMEYER
GVL EDITOR IN CHIEF

W

ith the second of three presidential debates leading up to the
Nov. 6 election behind us, both
President Barack Obama and his republican opponent Gov. Mitt Romney turned up
the heat on Tuesday night’s debate, while
around 70 Grand Valley State University
students gathered in the Kirkhof Center’s
big-screen theater to watch.
The viewing, sponsored by Speech Lab,
was spearheaded by the same associate
professor of communications that helped to
kick start the Speech Lab earlier this year.
“My area of research is young adults and
politics – so that’s what I’m most passion-

ate about is how do we encourage young
people to be involved in talking about political issues and politics and elections,”
said Danielle Leek, associate professor in
the School of Communications.
She said the presidential debates are not
only a chance for students, like the rest of
the country, to see the candidates in action,
but also a chance for them to thing about
how their issues translate to issues and aspects in their own lives.
“By getting people together to watch
the debate, afterward they can say ‘hey
remember when Obama interrupted Romney,’ or when Candy Crawely said, ‘sorry,
Mr. President, we’re going to have to move
on,’” Leek said.
“I think what’s interesting about this

In a campus-wide email sent on Oct. 15,
Grand Valley State University President
Thomas J. Haas detailed the importance of
student’s role in the upcoming Nov. 6 election.
“November 6 – Election Day across
the nation – will soon be here,” Haas began the email. “I encourage all members of
the Grand Valley community to vote. This
most fundamental of our rights is, to me,
a sacred undertaking. In too many places
around the globe, citizens seeking to vote
confront intimidation, danger or other obstacles crafted to limit participation. We
should never take for granted the free and

safe exercise of our right to vote.”
Haas, like the presidential candidates,
is trying to “get out the vote” this election to the younger population of voters,
who he said tend to participate in elections
less than the older voters. His message to
the GVSU community included a link to
Michigan’s absentee voter application and
a Detroit Free Press report detailing information about each of the proposals that
will be included on the November ballot.
“I really hope that our citizens here in the
state do their own reading and research on the
different proposals,” Haas said. “This is quite
unique because a couple of years ago there
was one question about whether or not we
needed a constitutional convention and the
citizens said ‘no.’ Now we have an array of

proposals that are out there to possibly change
the constitution, and from that I believe people
need to do a little reading their own research
and come to their own conclusions.”
Voting, he said, is not only a right, but
also a responsibility as an American – a
constitutional privilege, but also a constitutional responsibility.
“(This vote) is a real privilege that we
need to exercise because we as a people in
our constitution clearly states that we have
the responsibility for our nation and this is
the way we exercise it,” he said.
Haas said the misconception that one vote
doesn’t matter is lost in the final analysis. The
proof can be summed up, he said, by history
and, appropriately, a baseball metaphor.
“That our voices are heard because when

you come down to
it it’s kind of like
a baseball game,
there’s a lot of strikes
and a lot of balls to
be thrown and you
would think that it’s
just the last strike in
a game that could
make a difference
HAAS
and it really does,”
Haas said. “I think that type of metaphor holds
with voting too. There are a lot of votes out
there but when you take the individual vote and
combine it with the collective vote you have
then the voice of the people and the direction
we want to go as a nation.”
editorial@lanthorn.com

While many Grand Valley State University housing communities and organizations prepare for the events they’ll host for
homecoming week, the Student Senate regents prepare to represent senate and continue representing the student body.
“To me, being a homecoming regent—
especially as a representative of the Student
Senate—means acting as the face of Grand
Valley students,” said Katie Carlson, Stu-

dent Senate vice president of educational
affairs. “As senators, we strive to represent
the entire student body, and this is just one
more opportunity that I have been given
by the body to do so, and for that I am extremely thankful and honored.”
Senate is involved in homecoming by
promoting Laker pride on campus, Carlson
said. Student Senate President Jack Iott,
also a regent, agreed and added that senate
aims to promote school spirit and continue
to represent all students at GVSU.
“Being a regent is representing the or-

ganization who nominated you, but also
students as a whole,” Iott said. “Being a
homecoming regent is a great experience
and honor for all organizations and teams
that I have been involved in and is a celebration of Laker pride.”
Homecoming is important to the GVSU
students and community because it brings
everyone together, Carlson said.
“Whether you participate in a lip sync for
your residence hall, compete in trivia games
for your RSO or simply tailgate and cheer
on the Laker football team, everyone on this

campus seems to find a way to get involved
in the homecoming activities,” Carlson said.
Iott added that homecoming participation is a great example of being a “Laker for
a Lifetime” because it is all about promoting
school spirit, giving back to the university and
encouraging alumni to come back to campus.
“Homecoming is a great experience for
alumni to come back and be involved with
our campus,” Iott said. “Promoting and
being involved this week is exciting and
great for GVSU.”
shillenbrand@lanthorn.com

A2

NEWS

OCTOBER 18, 2012
Grand Valley Lanthorn

ERIC COULTER | GVL

Taking in the debate: Grand Valley students watch the presidential debate in the Kirkoff Theater on campus. The event was sponsered by the Speech Lab and attracted about 70 GVSU students.

VOTE

CONTINUED FROM A1

when you don’t understand,” Bilski said. “(This
event) will start helping
students to actually put into
more concrete detail what
they believe and how that
translates to politics.”
Bilski, who has been interested in politics in high
school, said he’s not an undecided voter, and developed
his political ideology over a
long period of time. But for
the students who haven’t, he
said he thinks part of the issue is the perception of an
individual’s role in the elec-

WATCH

CONTINUED FROM A1

answer questions on-point.
Ross Perot was notably
confident, yet failed to
clearly articulate how his
ideologies would translate to
policy in the White House.
Bill Clinton spoke with his
now infamous swagger and
personality, but at times,
appeared annoyed about
having to share the stage
with his opponents.

tion process.
“The underlying assumptions of our culture are
that we don’t need to worry
about politics, that it’s not
our responsibility,” Bilski
said. “And I think that once
people start to see that they
do have a responsibility and
that they can make a difference, then they will be
much more likely to not be
so apathetic.”
Leek, however, said that
it’s not so much apathy
from college-age voters,
but the absence of a comfortable forum in which to
talk about politics that’s
holding students back from

actively engaging.
“I think what’s interesting about this is it’s not that
young adults or college-age
students don’t care,” Leek
said. “It’s that we don’t ever
create opportunities for
people to talk about these
issues. We act as if talking
about politics is something
that is taboo…That restriction on people being able to
talk about politics, I think
is what makes it difficult to
learn what they really think
about it, and that’s what
we’re trying to do.”
Erika King, a GVSU political science professor, said
that although the impact of

the youth vote may not be
quite as formidable in this
election as it was for Obama
in 2008, student participation still has the potential
to make or break the candidates – especially in battle
ground states.
“I think that if we look
to 2008, students were an
important part of Obama’s
constituency,” King said.
“Students alone did not
cause him to win the election, but they were part of a
coalition of different kinds
of groups and he very much
targeted college students
and other young people, especially college students.”

Perhaps inspired by the
event, and a desire to understand my discomfort, I went
on to study presidential politics and political communication as a career. Since 1992,
I’ve seen quite a few political
debates, coached a number
of championship debaters
and consulted on political
campaigns. I’ve decided that
watching a debate isn’t really
about who “wins” or “loses”
(even if that is the question
the press likes best).

Watching the debates is
important because it is an
experience that connects
us to our shared lives as
Americans. In our 24-7
news climate, where we
are all exposed to news and
information all the time,
there are very few moments
during the election when
voters from both sides of
the aisle come together with
independents and undecideds for a shared event. Usually, we engage in selective
exposure, limiting our
interactions to people who
already believe and feel the
same way we do.
The debates give us a
reference point to start conversations about politics, the
candidates, policy, and our
society. The debates help us
understand and recognize
the issues that are important
to other Americans, so that
we can better think through
how our vote might impact
our community.
So while one letter grade
may not truly capture the

complexity of what happens
in a 90-minute debate, it can
light the spark of larger discussions about politics. And
those are discussions we voters need to have more often.

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS
At the Lanthorn we strive to bring you the most
accurate news possible. If we make a mistake, we
want to make it right. If you find any errors in fact in
the Lanthorn, let us know by calling 616-331-2464 or
by emailing editorial@lanthorn.com.

Lanthorn
Volume 47, Number 18
The Grand Valley Lanthorn
is published twice-weekly by
Grand Valley State University
students 62 times a year.
One copy of this newspaper
is available free of charge to
any member of the Grand
Valley Community.
For additional copies, please
contact our business offices.
POSTMASTER: Please send
form 3579 to Grand Valley
Lanthorn, 0051 Kirkhof,
Grand Valley State University,
Allendale, MI, 49401

In regards to student’s
stake in the November election, King said to keep an
eye on candidate’s positions
on federally funded financial aid, access to higher
education and issues surrounding healthcare and insurance policies.
“My best projection is,
given what we know from
public opinion polling about
attitudes of college-age students, that they will still
trend toward Obama – but I
don’t think it’s going to be
such a big gap as it was in
2008,” King said.
The final presidential debate will air at 9 p.m. ET,

Danielle Leek, PhD, is
an Associate Professor at
Grand Valley State University’s School of Communi-

and cover issues surrounding foreign policy.
“As youth, we can influence each other, but we
can also influence a wider
square,” Bilski said. “I
mean, the fact that we are
going to a university means
that we’re learning about
what many, if not most
Americans, don’t have the
opportunity to. So, we have
the time to sit down and
think things through, and
we could use that to go out
and talk with people who
aren’t a part of university.
We can be the change that
shifts the mindset.”
editorial@lanthorn.com

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IN BRIEF
Project highlights
sexual violence
awareness
A clothesline project created by Grand Valley State
University students that want
to raise awareness on sexual
violence will be displayed
throughout the Kirkhof Center as well as the Meijer Campus in Holland until Oct. 19.
This project is in honor and
recognition of Dating and Domestic Violence Awareness
Month, which is co-sponsored by the Women’s Center and Eyes Wide Open, a
student advocacy group that
attempts to raise awareness
on sexual abuse. T-shirt making workshops will take place
from Oct.15-19, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.,
in room 1201 of the Kirkhof
Center, as well as on the Holland Campuus, from 9 a.m.-8
p.m. For further information
on the clothesline project, call
the Women’s Center directly
at (616) 331-2748.

Scholarship deadline
approaching
The U.S. government is
attempting to increase the
amount of Americans studying and learning specific languages fluently, as it offers a
competitive scholarship that
helps students study abroad
as well as learning a new
language. This scholarship is
called the Critical Language
Scholarship, which gives several students to opportunity
to master a foreign language
at summer language institutions. The locations of these
institutions for the summer
of 2013 will be located in
Azerbaijan, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Morocco, Oman, Russia,
Tunisia, andTurkey.The deadline to apply for this scholarship is Nov. 15. If you’re interested in applying, contact the
Frederik Meijer Office of Fellowships at (616) 331-2543.

MAREC to host panel
on proposition No. 3
The Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy
Center will conduct a panel
of environmental, public
policy, and business experts
will elaborate on the pros and
cons of Proposal No.3, which
will increase the Michigan
renewable portfolio t0 25 percent by 2025. This panel will
discuss an array of different
perspectives on this proposal, which will be on the Nov.
6 ballot. This event will take
place on Oct. 22, from 6-7:30
p.m. at MAREC, 200 Viridian
Dr., Muskegon, which is free
and open to the public.

OCTOBER 18, 2012

Homecoming game aims to
leave behind ‘Zero Waste’

ERIC COULTER | GVL

Get the trash out: GV officials will have recycle bins around Lubbers Stadium to promote zero
waste at the homecoming game. Student workers will also collect waste during the game.
BY Ellie Phillips
GVL Staff writer

Like most universities, at Grand Valley State University, football is a big deal.
And with this weekend’s game against
Northwood University, there is no time
more opportune for the Sustainable Community Development Initiative, Facilities
Services and the Athletics Department to
band together to hold a ‘zero waste football game.’
To decrease environmental impact at
the game, the collaborating departments
will provide recycling stations in tailgate
areas as well as within the stadium for the
game.
The Zero Waste Initiative, which is one
of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ events as part of the October Sustainability Spotlight, aims to divert material
from the waste stream. This endeavor has
been carried out by the Student Environmental Coalition since last year and was
inspired by other universities that have attempted zero waste games.
“Several large universities have held
zero waste football games with varying
degrees of success,” said Steve Leeser,
facilities service operations supervisor for
GVSU. “The homecoming game always
draws one of our larger crowds and therefore will give us a greater challenge. The
University of Michigan recycled less than
30 percent of their waste stream when
they attempted this. I am hoping to exceed
50 percent at our game. Look for and use
the recycling stations that will be located
in tailgate areas as well as within the stadium.”
Students from the Honors College and

the Student Environmental Coalition will
team with individuals from Campus Dining, the Women’s Center, Meijer Holland
Campus and the Office of Student Life to
help out, educating the fans about composting and recycling.
They will also gather waste at the
game, depositing it in the recycling and
composting bins located at the entrances
and seating areas of Lubbers Stadium, as
well as the tailgate parking lots.
“Athletics is involved in a couple of
ways, one being the football game and
the tailgating in the parking lot,” said Jamie Schlagel, assistant athletic director.
“Athletics is also assisting in advertising
the Zero Waste Game on the gvsulakers.
com website. The GVSU Laker Marching
Band will also incorporate the initiative in
their halftime performance at Saturday’s
game.”
Bartels said last year the SEC collected 1,800 bottles and cans after football
games, which was enough to fill 10 large
bags. The deposit from the drink containers went to the SEC fund. It has also
composted 9,180 total pizza boxes—more
than 200 of them from that single game—
and kept them out of the waste stream,
as they can’t be recycled because of the
grease soaked into the cardboard.
“I am hoping to take this effort to a
new level and bring attention to our recycling and sustainable practices here on
campus,” Leeser said.
There are more than 100 students
wanting to help with the initiative, though
volunteers are still needed. To volunteer
for the initiative, contact Bart Bartels at
bartelba@gvsu.edu.
ephillips@lanthorn.com

GVPD ask for tips in graffiti case

GV to host panel prior
to Nov. 6 election
Grand Valley State University will be hosting a
panel that elaborates and
debates the issues of voters a
week prior to the presidential
election on Nov. 6. “Election
2012: A Watershed in American History?” will be hosted
by GVSU’s Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies,
and will also have debate
and perspectives from GVSU
experts. Pressing issues between Obama and Romney
such as healthcare, the economy, and taxes will be explored at this panel. The preelection panel will take place
on Monday, Oct. 29, 7 p.m. in
the Loosemore Auditorium
on the Pew campus.

GVPD | COURTESY

On the trail: A bike and backpack were found at the most recent graffiti crime scene.
BY ANYA ZENTMEYER
GVL EDITOR IN CHIEF

‘Change U’ deadline
approaches
The
registration
for
“Change U,” a social justice
program at Grand Valley
State University, will be open
until Nov. 16.The entire GVSU
community is encouraged to
participate in the event that
is hosted by GVSU’s LGBT
Resource Center. ‘Change U’
will start in January and continue until April.This program
will offer students the opportunity learn specific skills as
well as strategies that they
can use to follow their aspirations. For more information,
call the LGBT Resource center at (616) 331-2530.

A3

The Grand Valley Police
Department are asking for
leads in an on-going investigation involving widespread
graffiti on Grand Valley
State University’s Allendale
Campus.
Capt. Brandon DeHaan,
assistant director of GVPD,
said on Oct. 13 around 1:30
a.m., one of the student officers was doing rounds on
campus when he spotted
a freshly painted sign near
Lake Huron Hall. It was the
same red “revolution” stencil that GVPD had removed
over 16 instances times last
month, with damages resulting in over $1,000.
The individual responsible for the graffiti left a bicycle, backpack, the stencil

and cherry red Rust-Oleum
spray paint. The body of
the bike is painted with a
flat-black spray paint, and
the handlebars are the same
cherry red that police recovered from the scene.
The seat of bicycle reads
“Ross.”
Officers pursued the subject into the Ravines, but
were not able to apprehend
the individual at that time.
“Again, there was a fair
amount of damage that
needed to be cleaned up,”
DeHaan said, adding that
removal costs come directly
out of the university’s general fund, and therefore is paid
for by the student body.
“This continues to cost
students money,” DeHaan
said.
Though police still do
not know the actual intent of

the stencil, DeHaan said it’s
possible it could be related
to the campaign slogan used
by republican presidential
candidate Ron Paul on his
web site. GVPD is currently
using some of the items left
at the scene for fingerprints,
and are asking the campus
community to contact the
police department if they
have any information.
“We’re asking our community to assist us in catching this person,” DeHaan
said. “If there is someone in
the community that can assist us with a lead, it would
be most welcome.”
Anyone with information is asked to call GVPD
at (616) 331-3255 or Silent
Observer at (877) 8874536.
editorial@lanthorn.com

Many organizations are
taking to the philosophy that
young people relate better to
other young people than they
do to their elders. Schools hire
student ambassadors, faith
groups hire peer ministers,
and now the Grand Valley
State University Counseling and Career Development
Center has remodeled its peer
educator program to follow
the trend.
“We’re utilizing them
through the counseling center
as a whole as kind of liaisons
between us as therapists and
the larger campus community,
and specifically the larger student body,” said Melissa Selby-Theut, director of the peer
educator program. “We want
(the counseling center) to be a
place that is accessible to the
larger campus community, and
we want it to be somewhere
where students feel welcome
and feel a sense of comfort. By
connecting with students peerto-peer, our hope is that we’ll
reach that goal.”
The peer educator program has transformed over
the years, initially serving as a
wellness program. Now, nine
peer educators assist in one of
four administrative areas of the
university: Alcohol Campus
Education Services (ACES),
Career Services, Strengths
Quest test administration, and
a learning and study skills development program coordinated with the Student Academic
Success Center.
“Our hope is that, within
each of those administration
areas, that the students that
they come in contact with
through their presentations
and through the events that
they do will walk away with
information specific and readily usable, readily able to be
implemented into what they’re
doing as college students,”
Selby-Theut said.
With the goal to spread
awareness of mental health
issues, the peer educators assist program coordinators with
delivering presentations and
hosting events. Recently, they
manned tables for the National Depression Screening Day,
and they also helped with family weekend.
But the work of the peer
educators varies based on
which administrative department they are in. One student
in the learning and study skills
program has designed a presentation to teach others how
to effectively incorporate technology into the work they do
on campus.
Alecia Smith, ACES graduate assistant, said the peer
educators in her program help

deliver the presentation “Alcohol Truth, Lies and Consequences.” The educators can
choose to work alone or with
a coordinator to present the
hour-and-a-half talk to campus organizations.
“Our schedules have been
really crazy this semester in
trying to figure out who’s going to do which program, so
it’s been really nice to be able
to just say, ‘Hey, do you want
to take this program because
I already have a commitment
this night,’” Smith said. “It’s
been really helpful to have
somebody else to take some
of the pressure off of doing all
these programs.”
Smith said the peer educators aren’t limited to alcohol
presentations, but will also
have the opportunity to spread
awareness of marijuana and
Adderall abuse, too.
“We really want the program to expand and grow and
be known across campus as
kind of a vital element to the
campus community,” SelbyTheut said.
But the community is not
alone in benefitting from the
peer educator service.
“A lot of research is focused
on the gains the peer educators
make personally and professionally,” Selby-Theut said.
“A big part of peer education
is actually the growth of the
educators themselves. What
I want to make sure is that it
is two-fold. That not only are
they growing as professionals,
which is a vital part of programming, but also that those
skills are being relayed directly
out to the campus community
in a way that is demonstrably
and measurably beneficial to
the students that they’re working with.”
So far, the experiences of
the peer educators have enhanced their education of the
university.
“I have been able to sit in
on some of the group meeting
sessions that Alecia does and
been able to gain a better understanding of alcohol awareness and the education behind
our program here at GV,” said
Natosha Beamon, a peer educator in the ACES program.
Not only has she learned the
ins-and-outs of the university initiative, but she has also
picked up practical knowledge
along the way. “I have gained
a better understanding about
alcohol and the responsibility
that needs to come while you
are choosing to drink, and the
affects that alcohol can actually have on one’s body.”
For more information
about the peer educator program, visit www.gvsu.edu/
counsel/the-peer-educationprogram-1.htm.
news@lanthorn.com

A4

OPINION

OCTOBER 18, 2012
Grand Valley Lanthorn

READ THE BLOG:

VALLEY VOTE:

LAST ISSUE’S QUESTION:

“BEYOND THE CHAIR”
BY ST E P H A N I E D I E B L E

Do you think President Obama won the presidential
debate?

Do you think student athletes should be held to the
same academic standards as the student body?

www.lanthorn.com/blog

Vote online at lanthorn.com

Y E S 92% N O 8%

EDITORIAL

THE GREAT DEBATORS

I

n a guest column by Associate Professor
Danielle Leek published today on the front
page of the Lanthorn, Leek wrote that a
U.S. presidential debate should “give us a
reference point to start conversations about
politics, the candidates, policy and our
society.”
But at Grand Valley State University and college campuses nationwide - there’s
one big problem: not everybody is willing
to engage in those conversation.
According to the Center for Information
and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement’s most recent numbers on youth
voter turnout, 42 million people ages 18-29
are eligible to vote, making up 21 percent
of the total eligble voting population in the
U.S., while seniors - who tend to retain
more extreme conservative policy views than

younger voters - total at 39 million. In the 2008
election, 84% of those youth 18-29 who were
registered to vote actually cast a ballot.
Statistics on Project Vote, a nonpartisan,
nonprofit organization dedicated that works to
“works to empower, educate, and mobilize
low-income, minority, youth, and other
marginalized and under-represented voters”
reports that as of November 2008, fewer
than half (49 percent) of the 3.7 million
18-year-old citizens were registered to vote.
That’s 22 points lower than the general
population.
Though a product of an arguably broken
voting system, the reality is that there is only
one day to cast your ballot for president, and
it only happens once every four years; and
the only thing worse than no vote is an uninformed vote, so arm yourself with knowl-

QUESTION OF THE ISSUE

Why do you think some college students
don’t engage in the presidential election
race?

If two men debate and nobody hears it, did they debate at all? On
the cusp of the last presidential debate, it’s time to get engaged.

edge on the candidates, and the proposals
also included on the ballot.
GVSU’s own President Thomas J. Haas
took a commendable step earlier this week
with a campuswide email addressing students, faculty and staff about their thoughtful participation in the Nov. 6 election.
“I encourage all members of the Grand
Valley community to vote,” Haas wrote.
“This most fundamental of our rights is,
to me, a sacred undertaking. In too many
places around the globe, citizens seeking to
vote confront intimidation, danger or other
obstacles crafted to limit participation. We
should never take for granted the free and safe
exercise of our right to vote.”
Danielle Leek made an argument that it
wasn’t neccesarily apathy, but the lack of
an appropriate forum in which students can

discuss politics - and that’s true. Policy issues
have become so polarized between parties,
and so attached to social stigmas, that it can be
hard for students to voice their opinion without
fear of making an enemy of either side. In
fact, in can be hard for students to surmize an
opinion at all.
But here’s the thing: we, as students, have
the power to create that forum. We have the
power to call eachother to action, to hold
eachother accountable - some people even say
we might have the power to swing the vote.
So, when you think that your one vote
doesn’t matter, think about the big picture;
and as the election draws near and President
Barack Obama and Mitt Romney take the
stage for the final debate before the polls open,
take the time to tune in - even if baseball seems
more important at the time.

GVL EDITORIAL CARTOON I BY DAN SILLS

“For me personally, I don’t have
the time to follow the debates or
read up on policies. Due to that, I
don’t feel fair voting when I’m not
too sure what I’m voting for.”

Ashley McKae

Senior, Criminal Justice, sociology
Canton, MI

“Some college students lack
interest in the presidential election
and therefore become uninformed
about each candidate. This
causes them to not engage in the
election.”
Ashton O’Malley

“I think that being at college,
students are sequestered from the
outside world, and this forces them
to have to do outside research to
remain in the loop. This extra effort
is often spent on school, rather
than politics.”

Oh. Space rocks. That’s cool.

Tony Coleman

Senior, biopsychology
Clarkston, Mich.

“Some don’t have the available
time or necessary resources to get
the type of information needed to
make such a big decision.”

Dana Giancarlo

Freshman, psychology
Tinley Park, ILL.

“I think that some students
feel they wouldn’t want to be
responsible if the race did not turn
out well and more problems were
created.”

Amber Draft

Freshman, recreational therapy
Coopersville, Mich.

Lanthorn

BY NATE SMITH
GVL COLUMNIST

It’s safe to say that nobody cares about space anymore. Can you blame us?
Years worth of budget cuts
and NASA’s ½ a-penny-onthe-tax-dollar budget cuts
have made our foray into
spacy very…limited, to say
the least.
While our telescopes
are picking up signs of new
black holes forming in our
galaxy, NASA is expecting
the American people to be
wowed by high-definition

GVL OPINION POLICY
The ultimate goal of the Grand
Valley Lanthorn opinion page is to
stimulate discussion and action on
topics of interest to the Grand Valley Community. Student opinions
do not reflect those of the Grand
Valley Lanthorn.
The Grand Valley Lanthorn
welcomes reader viewpoints and
offers three vehicles of expression for reader opinions: letters
to the editor, guest columns and
phone responses.
Letters must include the author’s
name and be accompanied by
current picture identification if
dropped off in person. Letters will
be checked by an employee of the
Grand Valley Lanthorn.

Letters appear as space permits
each issue. The limit for letter
length is one page, single spaced.
The editor reserves the right to edit
and condense letters and columns
for length restrictions and clarity.
All letters must be typed.
The Grand Valley Lanthorn will
not be held responsible for errors
that appear in print as a result of
transcribing handwritten letters or
e-mail typographic errors.
The name of the author may be
withheld for compelling reasons.
The content, information and views
expressed are not approved by nor
necessarily represent those of the
university, its Board of Trustees,
officers, faculty and staff.

in one aspect of the latest
rover landing; they have
hyped the hell out of this
latest venture. I’ve seen
more than three updates
since the initial landing
that have had the words
“shiny rock” in the title. If
NASA isn’t genuinely wetting itself over each pebble
the rover comes across on
Mars the organization isn’t
letting it show. I mean, if
anybody were going to
get that excited over Mars
rocks I’d guess it would be
them, right?
Here’s the bottom line:
the projects would probably get a bit more fanfare
and public support if they
were new and exciting.
That isn’t to say that the

Curiosity Rover isn’t finding out new information on
the red planet – it’s just that
it’s not as cool as real, actual humans finding out said
new information on the red
planet.
In the end, I really just
want a future I can look
forward to. I want companies to start marketing their
products as the “the _____
of the future” again. I want
to believe that my species
can achieve more than devouring the resources of its
home planet. I want a true
glimpse into the future of
space travel, and exploration.
You can keep the rocks,
thanks.
nsmith@lanthorn.com

Pop music ate our souls, let’s get them back

The student-run newspapers at Grand Valley State University

ANYA ZENTMEYER
AUSTIN METZ
BRIANA DOOLAN
ANGELA COROLLA

pictures of rocks. Awesome.
What burns me up the
most is how any discussion
of manned flights to anywhere besides our multibillion dollar orbital tree
house is always taken with
a grain of salt.
Intergalactic
travel
seems like more of a pipe
dream than the future. If
you’re keeping track, it’s
been decades since we put
a man on the moon and we
still don’t have moon colonies or even solid plans to
develop any moon colonies. We’re stuck at home
on spring break while our
robotic friends upload pictures of their trip abroad.
This sucks.
I will give NASA credit

BY CHRISTINe COLLERAN
GVL COLUMNIST

Pop music is like junk
food. It’s over-processed,
sometimes sugary and not
always easy to quit. Most
of us indulge in it, whether
you happen to be a glitterdrenched Ke$ha enthusiast
or someone who hummed
“Call Me Maybe” one time
while you were waiting for
the bus. I myself have a weak
spot for Taylor Swift and the
Backstreet Boys. Call them
my guilty pleasures.
The problem with pop
music is that somewhere
along the way we stopped
listening for real, authentic
music and started accepting digitalized “pop-crap.”
Somewhere along the way,

pop music ate our souls.
I don’t know exactly when
it happened, maybe around
the time that the Baja Men
let the dogs out. Or when
Fergie’s London Bridge fell
down (does anyone even
know what that means?).
Maybe we lost our souls
when Willow Smith started
whipping her hair back and
forth and we copied her, effectively launching the whiplash epidemic of 2010.
My point is, pop music
lacks substance. The record
companies know what will
sell, and we reinforce them
when we download these
inane pop songs and records. The music is highly
manufactured and made for
blind consumption by the
Average Joe/Jane.
Are you merely an Average Joe? I didn’t think so.
At risk of sounding like a
total college hippie, it’s time
we fight against the pop sen-

sation. Don’t let stiff-suited
people at the top of the record
companies decide what YOU
like. It is time to begin saving
your music-deprived soul.
Start by ignoring Lady
Gaga’s egg capsule and
meat dress. Sure, she could
be a great person who stands
behind nice causes, but the
main reason she is pulling
these “stunts” is to sell records. It’s only business.
Understand that just because a song is catchy does
not mean it’s any good. Just
look at lyrics of one of Katy
Perry’s recent hits: Kiss
me/ Ki- ki- kiss me / Infect
me with your love and / Fill
me with your poison. These
(umm...) highly intelligent
lyrics don’t hold a candle
to Louis Armstrong’s: Give
me a kiss to build a dream
on / and my imagination
will thrive upon that kiss
/ Ah, sweetheart I ask no
more than this / A kiss to

build a dream on.
Finally, work on finding
the music that inspires you.
I am not trying to sound
corny. Good music is art—
it should promote some
self-reflection and deeper
thought. Norah Jones jazzy
vocals and insightful lyrics do this for me. Maybe a
metal band gets you thinking, or the sound of a bluegrass banjo- we all have
our own preferences.
You don’t have to give
up pop music completely.
However, pop music is
the equivalent of sweets
on the food pyramid- to be
used sparingly. At the very
least, don’t take pop music
at face value. You probably
shouldn’t whip your hair
like Willow, and, no matter
how much you love Ke$ha,
it is not the best idea to
brush your teeth with a bottle of Jack.
ccolleran@lathorn.com

NEWS

Grand Valley Lanthorn

OCTOBER 18, 2012

A5

Religion prevades
politics in election talk
coming election, since it’s a
topic where each candidate
tends to differ.
hile the fate of
“Obama’s platform is
the presidency leaning towards a comrides on secular mon responsibility, while
issues like the economy Romney’s is probably
and environment, faith more inclined to say that
and religious-based sub- these are important isjects, too, have become sues, but other organizarelevant in recent months. tions can attend to them,”
Although hard-hitting top- Maodush-Pitzer said.
ics like abortion and social
The parties behind these
justice stand prevalent and candidates have continued
bring heated discussion, to hold similar stances on
other academic programs society.
have just as much at stake
“The republican party
with this election.
focuses on individuality,
“If Romney won, he and the capability of ‘pullwould probably reinstate ing yourself up by your
the ban (on federal fund- bootstraps,’” said Landon
ing for embryonic stem cell Hughes, a GVSU political
research),” said Sheldon science student. “The demoKopperl, a religious studies cratic party views society as
professor at Grand Valley more of a fluid object with a
State University. Kopperl collective attitude.”
explained that groups supThe different stances on
porting Romney and his “responsibility” feed into
campaign
the debate
would
be
of social jusopposed to
tice, which
funding the
is
another
“Obama’s platform
research.
religious
W h e n is leaning towards
concern inP r e s i d e n t a common
herent in the
B a r a c k
opposing
Obama was responsibility while
purposes of
elected into Romney’s is probably
the Repuboffice,
he more inclined to
lican
and
removed the
Democratic
say that these are
prohibition
parties.
of federal important issues...”
The elecfunding for
tion outcome
DIANE MAODUSH- won’t only
embryonic
PITZER affect religion
stem cell reRELIGIOUS STUDIES in the legislasearch, and
PROGRAM
the state of
tive branch,
Michigan
though.
decided that
“ T h e
both state and federal funds president is the only person
would be used to continue federally elected by everythe research. However, that one,” Hughes said. “(That
would most likely change means) their power is vast
with a Romney victory.
and can extend into every
Diane Maodush-Pitzer of branch of government.”
the GVSU religious studies
One action that will inprogram, said issues sur- directly affect religion in
rounding responsibility will the U.S. will be the future
also be important in the up- president’s appointment of

BY KARA HAIGHT
GVL STAFF WRITER

W

JESSICA HOLLENBECK | GVL

Hot topics: Senior Holly Stuut practices her right to pray. In the upcoming election, each president’s stance on hot bottom topics
ranging from the economy to religon will sway the public’s vote along with the possibility to appoint three Supreme Court judges.

Supreme Court judges, who
will have to make decisions
about religious-based social
issues in the country.
Who takes the court seats
will depend on who takes
the presidency.
“With judges over 70
years old and some sick, the
next president may have the
opportunity to appoint up
to three new judges (during
their term),” Kopperl said.
Whoever is appointed
must weigh in on decisions such as what aspects
of religion are permitted in
schools, what is to be done
with public prayer and the

FACEBOOK ON POLITICS
The following comments
originally posted to the Grand
Valley Lanthorn’s Facebook page
following the Oct. 16 presidential
debate.
Or how about 53% of college students
can’t find a job after they graduate?
I hope you all are putting that $2000
increase in tuition costs to good use
because Obama isn’t helping us college
students. You can’t blame Bush for
those numbers and you certainly can’t
criticize Romney for wanting to reform
the system. But gosh, we can’t blame
Obama. He just wants to help.

Romney clearly has no concern for
the middle or lower class. A top heavy
economy IS NOT the answer. The
student body of almost any institution
would suffer under Romney’s Plan. We
need to help promote education, not
destroy it. We’re the future of America!

Aaron Smith

So an average $2000 increase in
tuition costs in Obamas four years is
a good thing for us college students?

presentation of the Ten
Commandments in public
areas, and even what is to
come of the ongoing argument of Roe v. Wade.
Though the president himself will not influence these
changes, his judges will.
While the election outcome could have an effect
on religious practice in the
U.S., religion also affects
the election. The candidates’
stands on certain issues do
have an impact on which
religious groups tend to
side—and ultimately vote—
for each candidate.
“The Jewish vote is usu-

ally democratic because of
the party’s stance on social
justice issues,” Kopperl said.
“Romney’s relationship with
the Prime Minister of Israel
may help him receive more
Jewish voters, but Obama
will probably still get most
of the Jewish vote.”
Polls of Muslim voters
have also shown a favor in
Obama, which Kopperl said
is probably because one of
the pillars of Islam centers
around social justice.
“Social justice is an
important topic in all religions,” he said, adding that
Hinduism also values that

aspect of the campaigns.
Regardless of what each
candidate does or does not
propose for this country,
one thing is certain: religious practice and the
election are interdependent topics that pervade
the present society.
For more information
on candidates’ religious
backgrounds and stances
on religious-based issues, visit the Pew Forum
on Religious and Public
Life at projects.pewforum.org/rp2012.
khaight@lanthorn.com

A6

NEWS

OCTOBER 18, 2012

Grand Valley Lanthorn

Ethics Week sheds light on relationship of business, common good
By Ellie Phillips
GVL Staff Writer

T

he Business Ethics Center
of Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College
of Business is hosting its first Ethics Week from Oct. 22-26. “Ethics Week 2012: Find Your Moral
Compass” is a weeklong series
of events geared toward educating students on ethical values and
inspiring them to do business, research and other endeavors in ethical ways.
The events will feature speakers from local businesses, including Chuck Saylor, CEO of izzy+;
Kim Horn, former CEO of Priority
Health; and the new president of
the mid-Atlantic region for Kaiser

Permanente, the largest health care
concern in the country. Individuals
from the GVSU community will
also speak.
Ethics Week and its events are
in line with the mission of the
Business Ethics Center, which is
“to examine the role and influence
of business in public life, to promote inquiry into ethical business
practices and education, and to be
a leading resource for business persons, students, faculty members,
and administrators who seek to understand the relationship between
business, the common good, and
a life well lived.” It also reflects
the Seidman College of Business
Student Code of Honor, in which
students pledge to “conduct themselves with the highest level of

integrity, maintain accountability
for their actions and encourage the
same of others, and (to) be open,
fair, trustworthy and honest.”
Roberta Osipoff, special projects and student professional
development assistant with the
Seidman College of Business, said
Ethics Week was the brainchild
of Lee Constantine, a member of
the Seidman Dean’s Undergraduate Advisory Board (DUSAB) and
chair of the Ethics Committee for
DUSAB.
“Lee is the driving force behind
the week of planned events and
has been working diligently on
this with his committee,” Osipoff
said.
Though Constantine brought
the idea to the dean, he was not the

primary muse upon which the idea
was formed.
“Ethics Week was inspired
by Dean H. James Williams of
Seidman College of Business,”
Constantine said. “He feels that
the principals of truth and honesty
are recognized as fundamental to a
community of teachers and scholars.”
The planned agenda for Ethics
Week will start off Oct. 22 with the
presentation “Why and How our
Moral Judgments Shape Success
in Business” with keynote speaker
Chuck Saylor. The presentation
will take place from 5-6 p.m. In the
Loosemore Auditorium of the DeVos Center. On Oct. 23, there will
be an ice cream social from 5-6 p.m.
followed by a panel discussion.

Keynote speaker Kim Horn will
present on a topic titled “Morality,
Money, and Medicine: Thoughts
on Universal Health Care” on
Oct. 24 from 6-7:30 p.m. in the
Loosemore Auditorium. There
will be a Student Code of Honor
luncheon Oct. 25 featuring keynote speakers from GVSU from
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. in the University Club. The final event of the
week will take place Oct. 26 in the
courtyard area of the DeVos Center, which will overview the “Best
and Worst Ethical Companies of
Our Time.”
For more information on Ethics
Week, visit the event page at www.
gvsu.edu/business under upcoming events
ephillips@lanthorn.com

Breast cancer has proven to be the most
common cancer in women, but Grand Valley
State University’s Colleges Against Cancer
is working to make sure awareness of the
disease is equally prevalent, especially during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
With tables and pamphlets, the student
group is taking a stand.
Courtney Miller, president of the Colleges Against Cancer club on campus, said
her organization works with college students
to spread awareness on ways of preventing
cancer and maintaining health by taking the
appropriate steps.
“Colleges Against Cancer does many different things for advocating cancer (awareness),” Miller said. “We do a lot of tabling
(and) passing out pamphlets. We also work
with the American Cancer Society who
helps with tools that we need.”
The organization also participates in the
whiteboard storm, which is when club members set up statistics and facts of cancer on
different whiteboards in classrooms across
campus. In addition, members may write
upcoming cancer awareness events and activities going on at the university.
“The whiteboard storm helps to keep college students aware of what is going on at the
Health Care Center and Women’s Center to
help students on how and where they can get
screenings,” Miller said.
She added that Colleges Against Cancer
hosts many different events based on specific
cancers every month. September was ovarian cancer awareness, and the organization
did announcements about the importance of

women getting Pap smears annually and going to the health center on campus. October
is breast cancer awareness, and the club is
currently involved in Win the Fight, tabling
to raise awareness among college students.
Members of the club pass out pamphlets
that contain information on how to find
breast cancer early. This includes getting annual mammograms, clinical breast exams,
as well as doing regular breast self-exams.
Miller said next month, on Nov. 15, Colleges Against Cancer will host the Great
American Smoke Out. This event will promote awareness on the importance of quitting smoking.
“For the GASO, we can provide students
with a quit kit, which consists of different tools
to help people with the quitting process,” Miller said. “We also provide facts on quitting cold
turkey, such as by contacting your physician
for a quitting plan that works for the student.”
The Women’s Center also works with promoting cancer awareness at GVSU.
Jo Ann Wassenaar, associate director at the
Women’s Center, said the center participates
in raising awareness during October’s Breast
Cancer Awareness Month. In addition, the
center has hosted several programs on breast
cancer. Some of these programs include individuals sharing their stories in fighting and
surviving breast cancer, and this year’s program called the “Pink Ribbon Inc.”
“‘The Pink Ribbon Inc.’ is a Canadian documentary that explores the apparent corporate
capture of breast cancer activism,” Wassenaar
said. “This film also observes that such philanthropic organizations seem to place a higher priority on giving positive publicity to their
corporate partners than on actually finding a
cause and a cure for breast cancer.”

The film will be shown Oct. 23 at 6 p.m.
in the Grand River Room located in the
Kirkhof Center.
Wassenar said the center also offers programming on the Human Papilloma Virus
during the month of January, and that highrisk HPV’s cause virtually all cervical cancers.
“The most rewarding part is when the
Women’s Center educates and causes students to critically examine issues,” Wassenaar said. “Certainly by sharing information
on breast cancer, students learn that young
people can also get breast cancer, and can
also receive support for family members

that are fighting breast cancer.”
Heather Rhodes, office manager at the
Health Center at GVSU, said the health center usually refers patients with or concerned
about cancer to the oncology center at Metro
Health’s main campus in Wyoming, Mich.
She said there are programs for ages of different people that come in with a specific type
of cancer.
For more information on cancer awareness and prevention, contact Colleges
Against Cancer at cac@mail.gvsu.edu or
the Women’s Center at 616-331-2748.
assistantnews@lanthorn.com

MLIVE.COM | COURTESY

Decorative support: In support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, members of GVSU’s Colleges
Against Cancer are raising awareness through events like Bras on the Grand, pictured above.

Deciding between two great helping careers?
Information Session Tuesday, Oct. 30
Western Michigan University in Grand Rapids
invites you to attend an Information Session for
those in the fields of social work, human service
and education to learn about two of our nationally
accredited programs.

Master of Social Work
Counselor Education and
Counseling Psychology
5 to 5:30 p.m.

MSW registration/refreshments

5:30 to 6:30 p.m. MSW presentation
6 to 6:30 p.m.

CECP registration/refreshments

6:30 to 7:30 p.m. CECP presentation
All are welcome to attend one or both sessions.
RSVP online by October 29th at
www.wmich.edu/grandrapids/infosession
Visit www.wmich.edu/grandrapids/programs
for more information about the programs.
Questions?
Please contact Tami Heydenberk at (616) 771-4100
or tamela.heydenberk@wmich.edu.

SHORTS
Bush named National
Swimmer of the Week
Grand Valley State University senior Carly Bush
was named the www.collegeswimming.com National
Swimmer of the Week on
Jan. 19 for her performances
in the pool last week.
Bush set three pool records in the Lakers’ 159-74
victory over the University of
Findlay.
The senior’s first record
came during the 1,000-yard
freestyle when she shattered the previous record
by almost six seconds with
a time of 10 minutes, 16.22
seconds.
Bush followed up her
performance in 1,000-yard
freestyle by eclipsing the
200-yard butterfly record
with a time a mark of 2:06.49
Finishing off the meet,
Bush helped the 800-yard
freestyle relay team set a
pool record of 7:49.34.
GVSU will be back in action on Feb. 8 at the GLIAC
Championships in Jenison,
Mich.

Demers receives
promotion
Grand Valley State University women’s soccer
coach David DiIanni announced that Erica Demers
has been promoted to associate head coach.
Demers has been a part
of GVSU soccer program for
the past seven years, during
which GVSU has compiled a
145-9-12 record.
As an assistant coach,
she has guided offensive
stars including former NCAA
Division II Player of the Year
Katy Tafler and current juniors Ashley Botts and Kayla
Addison.
With the promotion to
associate head coach, Demers will coordinate recruiting
efforts and facilitate soccer
camps throughout the year.
She will also continue to
work with the Laker front
line.
GVSU finished the season as the national runnerup with an overall record of
20-1-4

G L I A C

STANDINGS

IT’S NOT OVER ‘TIL IT’S OVER

Records fall as Lakers storm back from 11 down to capture GLIAC title
BY ZACH SEPANIK
GVL STAFF WRITER

D

own 11 strokes and in a tie for
fifth place heading into Tuesday’s final round of the GLIAC
Conference Championships at Elyria
Country Club in Ohio, the Grand Valley
State University men’s golf team put
together a group effort to miraculously
win by nine and defend their title.
Junior Joel Siegel led that push
with the lowest single round in
school history, shooting a seven-under par, 65, to earn medalist honors
and mark the second straight year a
GVSU golfer has won the event.
“An eagle on No. 12 jump-started
my day and I kind of realized that it
could be a special day,” Siegel said. “I
have to give credit to my teammates. It
was crazy to come back by that much
and win by the margin we did.”
Siegel opened the tournament Sunday with a round of 73. Then on day
two, he began play on the back nine.
Once he made the turn to No. 1 on
Monday afternoon, there was no looking back for the eventual individual
champion, as he carded a five-under,
31, on the front nine, for a 70 overall.
“You sure don’t see something like
that coming,” said GVSU head coach
Don Underwood. “Joel came off the
back nine, turned to his second nine
and just played great. I had a feeling
that was one of those moments that
you see somebody turn the corner.”
Throughout his final 27 holes, Siegel was 12-under par. His three-round
total of 208 helped him claim the individual crown by seven strokes, and
claim a spot on the postseason AllGLIAC First Team.
“In my time here, that was as
good a 27-hole stretch as I have ever
seen,” Underwood said.
It is the second-straight year a Laker has taken home the individual title;
junior Chris Cunningham did so last

season. This time around, Cunningham began play with an uncharacteristic 84 in the opening round, but strung
together a solid second day, bouncing
back with a 73. Only to be overshadowed by Siegel’s performance Tuesday, Cunningham then posted a 69 to
finish at 226 for the tournament, in a
tie for 15th on the leaderboard.
GVSU’s sixth GLIAC championship in men’s golf history was captured by a final round team score of
10-under par, 278, also a new school
record. It was nine shots better than
any round from the 12 teams competing over the three days.
Sophomore Jack Rider went 76,
70 over the first two days, but with
only four players contributing to the
overall team score in any given round,
his final round 75 was not even used.
It goes to show how well the Lakers
played as a team on day three.
“It was unreal, one of the coolest
things I have ever been a part of without a doubt,” Rider said. “I’m not really sure how it all happened. We knew
we had to go pretty low and everybody
had the right mindset of being patient
and eventually the scores came.”
GVSU was greatly helped by
freshmen Chris Beltzer and Tyler Polulak, who each had coming out parties Tuesday. After rounds of 82 and
78, Beltzer shot a 71 on day three. For
Polulak, opening with an 80 and following that with a 79, his 73 cemented
the Lakers’ impressive final round.
“Coming through on the final day
of conferences to come back and win,
I think it will do unbelievable work
for their confidence,” Rider said.
The victory gives GVSU an automatic berth to the regional tournament in the spring, and wraps up
their fall schedule.
“They are going to be able to draw
on this for sure in the spring and beyond that,” Underwood said.
zsepanik@lanthorn.com

The score posted by junior
Joel Siegel in Tuesday’s final
round. It is the lowest singleround in GVSU history and
also a GLIAC championship
single-round record.

278

GVSU’s team score on day three,
which is not only a new school record, but also a single round GLIAC
championship team record. It was
also nine strokes better than any
other team round of the tournament.

11

The number of strokes the
Lakers trailed behind the
leaders heading into the
final round, one in which
they won by nine strokes
— a 20-stroke turnaround.

Grand Valley State University’s men’s and women’s
cross country teams are set to
go streaking again this fall.
No, not the kind that involves shedding clothes.
The Lakers are aiming
for their 11th-consecutive
men’s GLIAC title, and also
it would be the women’s
12th-consecutive
GLIAC
title as the teams travel to the
GLIAC Championships in
Midland, Mich. Saturday.
“We’re just ready to compete and eager to get out and
going,” said head coach Jerry Baltes. “Staying focused,
and not putting pressure on
ourselves is the key.”
The Lakers have become accustomed to handling pressure
during their 10-plus year streak
of consecutive GLIAC titles.
“We are aware that we
have a huge target on our
backs year in and year out,”
Baltes said. “Our kids realize
that, and do a great job of consistently bringing everything
they have to each race.”
Consistency is a common
term used around both the

men’s and women’s programs.
In any given race GVSU is
running, a pack of Lakers will
be working together, driving
each other toward the finish.
“You never really know
who is going to be leading
the pack on any given race,”
said redshirt freshman Spencer Pageau. “We really focus
on running in a group, working off of each other’s determination and toughness to
get through the race.”
The Lakers women’s team,
like the men, is built around a
mixture of young talent and
experienced veterans — a formula that has worked to perfection thus far this season.
“Any one of us can finish first for us,” Pageau said.
“We have seven No. 1 runners, we’re not really worried
about who finishes first.”
The Lakers are coming off
of strong performances from
redshirt freshman Jessica Janecke’s GLIAC Cross Country
Runner of the Week feat. The
team also had strong showings
from Pageau, and Joe Duff’s
first and second place showings at the Michigan Intercollegiate earlier this month.
“Our athletes have con-

tinued to stay focused,” Baltes said. “It’s really shown
by what they have accomplished so far.”
Teams looking to spoil the
streak of both the men’s and
women’s programs include a
very strong Ferris State University team, and a new program on
the rise in Malone University.
“We can’t get cocky,” said
redshirt freshman Duff. “We
know everyone will be gunning for us; that’s why it’s
key for us to stay focused.”
In order for the Lakers
men’s and women’s programs
to earn another GLIAC title,
they will have to continue to
run consistently as they did
throughout the year. That
being quality performances
from their No. 7 runner all the
way to the No. 1 runner.
“We lost a lot from last
year’s team,” Duff said. “We
rebounded nicely, just as we
thought. It’s now up to us to
bring home another title.”
The Lakers will leave it
all on the line this Saturday,
when they travel up to Midland, hoping to bring yet another set of GLIAC conference titles back to Allendale.
tbaker@lanthorn.com

Still need a place to live next year?
Visit www.gvsuoffcampushousing.com

ERIC COULTER | GVL

Eye on the prize: Lucas Roscoe runs in the Spartan Invitational.

Presented by
The Lanthorn

B2

SPORTS

OCTOBER 18, 2012

Grand Valley Lanthorn

F O O T B A L L

HungrY
for A

WIN

ARCHIVE | GVL

Defensive-minded: Junior cornerback Reggie Williams (2) celebrates with teammates following a play. The Laker’s defense will be counted on to step up and stop Northwood’s wishbone offense saturday.

The Lakers
aim to end
two game
losing skid with
homecoming
matchup against
Northwood

BY BRADY FREDERICKSEN
GVL SPORTS EDITOR

A

dversity can strike
any time, and it can
come in a variety of
ways. No matter if it’s in the
form of lackluster play or a
rash of injuries, the Grand
Valley State University
football team has five games
to right its own ship.

Carrying a two-game losing streak into this week’s
game against Northwood University (4-3, 3-3 GLIAC), it’s
going to be a group effort if
the Lakers (5-2. 4-2 GLIAC)
hope to get back on track.
“We’ve got to work together. Coaches and players
got to work together,” said
head coach Matt Mitchell.
“There’s some variables

we can control, and there’s
some variables we can’t
control, but the variables
that we can control we need
to focus on and get those
controlled, coaches and
players — that’s not just for
our defense, that’s for our
whole football team.”
While the injuries that
have piled up are one of
those uncontrollable variables, the variables that
GVSU can control, the execution of their defensive and
offensive game plans, are
something that’s struggled
during the recent skid.
The Lakers played without sophomore quarterback
Isiah Grimes in last week’s
loss at Northern Michigan
University, and with minimal practice time, redshirt
sophomore Brandon Beitzel
struggled in relief.
Grimes’ status for Saturday’s game is still unknown.
Mitchell considered him
doubtful following Saturday’s game, and if he cannot
go this week, expect Beitzel
or even redshirt freshman
Jeff O’Brien to take over.
“We had to, in a span of
basically 24 hours, get Brandon up and ready to go at
that position,” Mitchell said.
“I’m also aware that the type
of offense, the structure, what
we look at might change because of the skill set of the
guy we have there.”
The change in quarterback earlier this season
from injured Heath Parling
to Grimes was one that included minimal change

of the offense, but going
from Grimes to Beitzel or
O’Brien may require more
of a simplification of the offense considering the lack of
experience for both.
Part of the solution to
the Lakers’ offensive woes
could be solved in the
trenches. GVSU boasts a
veteran offensive line, and
with the return of junior tailback Hersey Jackson to pair
with freshman Kirk Spencer, the Lakers can lean on
that part of its offense.
That may present a
problem Saturday, though.
Northwood enters the game
with the No. 3 total defense
in the GLIAC and the No. 2
rushing defense, giving up
just 3.3 yards per carry.
“We just have to come
in and work hard the entire
week; we can’t take a day
off,” Lelito said. “We’ve
got to be very physical, do
as much as we can, still
watch a ton of film and get
their checks and stuff down.
Going forward through this
week, I think we can’t afford to waste any time.”
Mitchell expects a pair of
defensive contributors to return from injury against Northwood. Sophomore defensive
end Matt Judon and junior
linebacker Sam Power will
play and be needed against a
Northwood team that runs a
woodbone offense similar to
the one run by Army.
Led by junior fullback
Cameron Jackson and quarterback Aaron Shavers, Northwood’s woodbone offense cur-

rently stands as the GLIAC’s
No. 2 rushing offense, gaining
230 yards per game.
GVSU’s defensive struggles have been magnified
by opponent’s ability to
run straight at the Lakers, a
large part of the triple option
offense. Mitchell cited the
return of Judon and Power
as ways of solving that, but
also that controlling the line
of scrimmage will be key.
“We’re going to get a
tough, tough test with Northwood and running the ball,”
Mitchell said. “They’re
probably going to run the
ball right at us. We’re going
to have to do a great job on
the defensive side of the ball
bowing our neck and getting
the job done for this team —
we’ve got to provide a spark
on that side of the ball for
this football team.”
That spark is one the
Lakers need to break out of
its slump.
“The leaders have to lead.
The guys in the offense who
have been here before, been
through a lot of stuff, we
have to step up and lead,”
said senior offensive tackle
Andrew
Biedenbender.
“The offensive line is kind
of a veteran group and we
gotta step up and do whatever we can, whosever back
there at quarterback, whosever back there at running
back, we’ve got to block for
them, we’ve got to do all we
can do and the leaders have
to lead the team.”
sports@lanthorn.com

FOOTBALL FAST FACTS
Consistency

From 1999 to 2010 the Grand Valley State University football team started only four quarterbacks in regular season
games. That list includes Jeff Fox, Cullen Finnerty, Brad
Iciek and Kyle McMahon over the 11-year span. If redshirt
sophomore Brandon Beitzel starts on Saturday, that will
mark three starting quarterbacks in this season alone.

Walking Wounded
In the first seven games of the season, GVSU has seen
a combined 29 starters miss games since its 28-0 victory
at Tiffin University. Within that, 12 starters have missed
games on offense and seven starters on defense have
missed games. GVSU has been forced to start its thirdstring quarterback, third-string running back and played
without starters at defensive end and linebacker.

SPORTS

Grand Valley Lanthorn

OCTOBER 18, 2012

B3

R O W I N G

Crew set to row in Head of Charles Regatta in Boston

ARCHIVE | GVL

At the catch: The club rowing team will be sending four boats to Boston to compete in the Head of the Charles Regatta against teams from Harvard University, Brown University, and Columbia University.
BY judson rodriguez
GVL intern

C

ollege sports are about
more than just winning.
Representing a school is the
highest honor a collegiate athlete
can achieve, while splitting time
between the classroom and the
sporting world.
The Grand Valley State University club rowing teams have
the chance this weekend to represent “Laker Nation” at one of the
most unique sporting events in
all of college sports: the Head of
the Charles Regatta in the heart of
downtown Boston.
The regatta features teams
from Harvard University, Columbia University, Brown University

and GVSU, as well as many other
alumni-based teams. GVSU has
been making noise in the rowing
world for the better part of the
last decade, but head coach John
Bancheri thinks that other schools
are starting to give GVSU the respect nationally that is due.
“They’re going to notice us,” he
said. “You’ve got all these Ivy League
schools and then you have GVSU
right in the middle of all that. It’s really a great representation of the impact
our team is making nationally.”
Bancheri knows that the weekend is more important than just a
feel-good sporting event, it carries
over into life beyond college.
“Most graduates from Harvard
are not going to be working a bluecollar kind of job,” Bancheri said.

”In the future, that businessman
may remember rowing against
GVSU and may see your name
stick out in a pile of a thousand because of this connection.”
The $100 price tag on the trip
couldn’t be more worth it for the
students who will participate in
Boston’s heralded boat race.
“You know a price tag can’t really be put on the experience that
we get to have,” said rowing club
president Andrew Zwierzynski.
The team will have the experience of a lifetime as they get to
travel Boston’s famous “T” subway, and see the sights of Harvard
Square and Cambridge.
“Whenever we go somewhere,
we try to give the athletes some
time to explore the world we live

in, and there isn’t a greater place
to take a look around than Harvard
Square,” Bancheri said.
Alumni involvement has really
pushed the program to the upper
echelon of the rowing world.
“What does it say about a school
when you have alumni returning to
participate in an event after years of
being out of school,” Bancheri said.
Men’s rower Keegan Jahnke
said it’s nice to have the alumni
presence within the program,
pushing them through training.
“They really help motivate
us through the training process,”
Jahnke said. ”They’ve all done it
before, so they know what we are
going through.”
GVSU will send its most boats
ever to the event with two women’s 8+

boats, a men’s 4 and a men’s 8+ boat
competing. These four top boats are all
fast enough to medal, Bancheri said.
While winning is always the goal
in sports, the team knows how important this race will be for GVSU.
“We have the chance to really do
something special for GVSU and
take the Laker for Life motto to a
whole new level,” Bancheri said.
The boats have been on a torrid
pace lately in practice, completing
the practice course in the fastest times
ever. Bancheri said the team is physically ready to go, but at the same
time its important to stay loose.
Jahnke may have found the best
way of all.
“I plan on drinking the Charles
River water for two reasons-luck and
to see if it tastes like tea,” he said.

The starting goalie for the
Grand Valley State University
Division III club hockey team
for much of his career, Scott
Tiefenthal is now a senior and
ready to make the most out
of his opportunity starting in
goal for the Division II club
hockey team.
With a 2-0-1 record in three
starts, Tiefenthal has started a
solid foundation for his senior
season as the starter.
Not being the outright
starter going into the
season, Tiefenthal, who
moonlighted with the Division II team at the end of
last season, remained confident he would be playing
on the Division II team this

season. After a new offseason workout regiment
and tough tryouts, he was
named a starter by head
coach Mike Forbes.
“It means a lot (to me) being the starter (as a senior),”
Tiefenthal said. “It’s everything you work for all through
high school and college.”
The jump to Division II
has made Tiefenthal statistically much more difficult
for opposing teams. With
overall competition faster
and better at the higher level, Tiefenthal boasts a 2.57
goals against average and
a 0.90 save percentage and
attributes this not only to
his own preparation, but the
team in front of him.
“The team plays a great allaround defensive game, they

really work hard in our zone,”
Tiefenthal said. “(The team)
really makes things happen in
the offensive zone. It always
helps to get goal support.”
Being a fundamentally
sound performer with a tremendous “compete level,”
especially in the big game,
is what head coach Mike
Forbes attributes his success
at the Division II level.
“He wants to be in those
big games and thrives in
them,” Forbes said.
Expectations are high
for Tiefenthal and company
this season with consecutive
trips to the ACHA National
Championship game, which
the Lakers won in 2011 and
finished second in 2012.
“Making it to the national
tournament is our number one

goal right now,” Tiefenthal said.
“It’s a long way away. Our goal
is get back there and be at our
best…we will see how things
shake out, we just have to be
prepared for every game.”
Along with such lofty goals
comes stiff competition from
opponents trying to knock off
arguably the best DII hockey
team in the ACHA over the
last two years.
“We’re one of the best
teams in the nation and have
one of the best programs,”
Tiefenthal said. “Whoever
we play, they’re giving us
their best game possible.
Everyone is trying to knock
us off the top. We have to
come with it every night
and be prepared. Any night
someone could beat us.”
sports@lanthorn.com

GVSUSTUDENTLIFESPORTS.COM | COURTESY

One last chance: Senior Scott Tiefenthal has a 2-0-1 record as
he prepares to start the season as GVSU’s starting goalie.

S W I M M I N G

FISH OUT OF WATER FREAKY
Swim teams prepare to open season against Wisconsin-Milwuakee
BY BRYCE DEROUIN
GVL STAFF WRITER

After months of offseason
workouts and practices, the
Grand Valley State University men’s and women’s swim
teams are eager to start competing in the 2012-2013 season.
The Lakers will open their
season this Friday in Allendale against the University
of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
“We’ve been working hard
since day one as a team,” said
head coach Andy Boyce, who
last year was named GLIAC
Men’s Coach of the Year.
“We came into the season in
good shape. We’ve been itching to race since we’ve just
been training. Having the first
meet here Friday night against
Wisconsin-Milwaukee will be
a good test for us.”
GVSU’s men and women
are coming off second place
finishes in the GLIAC conference, right behind Wayne
State University. Nationally,
the women finished sixth,
while the men secured an
eighth place finish.
“We’re just getting things
rolling here,” Boyce said.
“We’re looking to be competitive within the conference.

ARCHIVE | GVL

All wet: Junior Ellen Wiese performs the backstroke during the
400 yard IM. The team’s season begins Friday in Wisconsin.

Every year we’re fighting for
a conference championship
and we want to inch our way
up on the national level.”
On the men’s side, the
Lakers will have to deal with
replacing Aaron Beebe, who
last year became GVSU’s
first national champion in
school history, taking first in
the 200 IM. The men’s team
will hope that they can fill the
void left by Beebe and others
by stepping up and having
freshmen fill key roles.
“Last year we lost a
couple big seniors,” said senior Derek Mead. “It’s going to be having guys step
up this year. We have a big
freshman class, so it’s going
to be our returners and our
new guys stepping up and
fill those holes we’re trying
to replace from last year.”
The men will look to

count on Mead in the middistance freestyle and sophomore Milan Medo in the
sprint freestyle IM’s.
Boyce is hopeful that
these two will lead the team.
“We’re looking to lean
on those guys and see what
they can do,” Boyce said.
On the women’s side, expect GVSU to be led by junior
Caitlyn Madsen in the backstroke and butterfly. Junior
Kirsten Emerson will anchor
the Lakers in distance races,
and junior Danielle Vallier is
one of the team’s strongest
backstroke swimmers.
“It’s definitely coming
together real well,” Madsen said. “We have a very
young team this year. The
freshmen are stepping up
and showing that they’re
here to work and that they
want to help the team as

much as they can, and the
upperclassmen are showing
them how the team is run.”
GVSU has one intersquad
meet under their belt, but they
are looking forward to the opportunity to race in competition against different schools.
The Lakers will look to be
pushed by their competition.
“It’s super exciting to
be able to start competing now,” Madsen said.
“We’ve just been practicing
and racing each other, and
now we’ll get to race other
people. It’ll push us to our
limit and we’ll be able to go
faster and compete more.”
While it may be early in
the season, the Lakers have
already set their sights on the
GLIAC championship. Last
year, Wayne State topped the
GVSU’s men 872-801 and the
GVSU women 923-599.5.
“Like every year, our main
goal is to win conference,”
Mead said. “We want to come
away with the conference
championship. Wayne State
is big competition and that
is definitely our primary goal
to beat them and win conference, and we want to have a
strong showing at nationals.”
bderouin@lanthorn.com

rand Valley State University’s dance
company will get a technology overhaul in their Oct. 22 recital, while
collaborating with the Thodos Dance Chicago for a virtually interactive performance
of Vivaldi’s ‘The Four Seasons.’
Shawn Bible, GVSU faculty artist choreographer, has been working closely with Nate
Bliton, the music and dance department’s
equipment and stage manager, to master Kinect software and create technology that is
controlled by the dancers’ movements.
“The Kinect is used as a sensor to tell
the computer where the dancers are so they
can interact with and generate the animation
themselves,” Bliton said.
The idea to add animated software projections to the show spurred from a project
called ‘Bodies in Motion’ that Bible and Bliton worked on over the summer. Nintendo
Wii controllers were attached to dance students’ hands to control the music, and the
concept for the fall arts performance grew
from there, Bliton said.
Bible said the dance department is always exploring new ways to incorporate
technology with dance.
“I am pretty sure GVSU has not seen
something quite like this,” Bliton said. “I
hope that people will see this and be inspired

to put on a new kind of project, or some kind
of interaction we haven’t thought of yet.”
The performance will begin with two
original Thodos dances and conclude with
the two companies performing the Vivaldi
dance piece choreographed by Bible.
Bible said the collaboration with Thodos Dance Chicago is different from what
GVSU’s dance department has done before.
Guest dancers have performed with students
in the past, but this is the first time an entire
company has been invited.
Melisa Thodos, founder of the Thodos
modern dance company, choreographed a
dance for the department two years ago, and
Bible said it was such a great experience
that she was brought back with her whole
company, comprised of 10 dancers.
“The audience should expect to see a highly energetic and thrilling dance performance
by both Thodos Dance Chicago and GVSU
Dance Company members,” Bible said.
Thodos Dance Chicago members arrived at
the university Sunday, giving them a week to
rehearse with the four GVSU dancers that were
chosen to perform in the final production.
“This performance stands out because the
caliber of performers is truly outstanding,” Bible
said. “Our bill is full of amazing talent that has
only been brought together by GVSU Dance.”
The companies are performing to live
music by violinist Rachel Barton Pine from
Chicago, and the GVSU Faculty and Staff

ERIC COULTER | GVL

Sweet embrace: Dancers prepare for the recital which will incorporate new technology in the performances.

Orchestra conducted by Henry Duitman.
“Every year I look forward to bringing
an innovative element into the Fall Arts
Dance productions, rather than present a
traditional dance concert,” Bible said. “I
look forward to seeing everyone at the per-

formance, it is not to be missed.”
The Oct. 22 performance is free and open
to the public, starting at 8 p.m. in the Louis
Armstrong Theatre on the Allendale Campus.
For more information call (616) 331-3484.
knorton@lanthorn.com

potlight
Productions, the studentrun event programming board for Grand
Valley State University,
chose to switch up genres
for this year’s Homecoming Concert – last year was
pop singer Mike Posner,
and 2010 was Jason Derulo. So when the Music
Programming Board was
looking for artists, they
found Mayday Parade and
The Maine. Both bands are
coming off of headlining
world tours, and have released new albums within
the past year.
“We gave GVSU students a survey to see what
they wanted from this
years homecoming concert
and the majority said it was
time for rock to come back
to our school,” said Bradley Kosiba, Spotlight Productions music committee
chair.
The alternative rock
guys of Mayday Parade,
from Tallahasee, Fl., are
known for their first studio album, without former
front man Jason Lancaster,
“Anywhere But Here.”
The Maine, a group of
alternative rock guys from

Tempe, Arizona, have five
studio albums, including
a Holiday CD. Their live
DVD, “Anthem For a Dying Breed,” was set to be
released Oct. 16, but was
pushed back until Nov. 19.
The bands are joining
for a double-headlining
U.S. tour and the Oct. 19
show at GVSU is one of
their first stops.
“This will be GVSU’s

first true double-headliner,
with both Mayday Parade
and The Maine playing full
sets along with their opener, The Postelles,” Kosiba
said. “This will be the biggest concert to roll through
GVSU in its existence in
terms of stage size, lights
and the bands involved.”
Office of Student Life
staff member Chelsea Pulice has been working with

Spotlight Productions to
get all of the “behind the
scenes” glitches worked
out, so the concert runs
smoothly. She said there
has been a lot of planning
and meetings with everyone on campus to get the
facilities and staff ready.
The planning process
began in June, and Kosiba
said they have been continuously working on it since.

“A lot of time, sweat,
and stress has been put in
to this concert by Spotlight
Productions in hopes that
this will be a great concert
that all students can enjoy,” Kosiba said.
Although the group has
been bumping up advertising, ticket sales are still
down from recent years,
which Pulice said could be
because this year’s bands

aren’t as well known as previous artists.
“I’ll be interested to see
how many tickets are sold this
week,” Pulice said. “Its in the
nature of students to buy them
at the last minute.”
Spotlight
Productions
has seen a positive response
from students, and Kosiba
still expects the Fieldhouse
Arena to be packed with
students. He said one student even started to cry out
of excitement.
“We have had a lot of
positive feedback from
the students concerning
the concert,” Kosiba said.
“I have received quite a
few emails expressing that
these bands were an amazing choice and that they
are amazing live performers.”
Tickets for the Oct. 19
concert are on sale now at
the 20/20 desk inside Kirkhof Center and are $15 for
students, alumni, faculty
and staff, and $20 for the
public. There is no limit for
student ticket purchases.
Doors open at 7 p.m. for
the 8 p.m. general admission concert.
For more information,
got to Spotlight Production’s
website at www.gvsu.edu/
studentlife/programming.
arts@lanthorn.com

Grand Valley State University’s film
and video program has a new reason to
attract perspective students.
The Animation Career Review ranked
GVSU’s animation program No. 16 out
of the 20 best Midwest schools, placing
higher than the University of Michigan
at No. 19 and Kendall College of Art and
Design at No. 17.
Michigan State University was the
only other Michigan school to place, at
No. 10.
“Having our program recognized in
this manner is an
honor,” said Deanna Morse, animation professor. “It
is a tribute to the
full-time faculty,
the staff, and also
our many adjuncts
MORSE
who are committed
to quality teaching
and learning.”
Animation Career Review ranked the
programs by looking through professional reviews of schools around the nation,
such as The Princeton Review, interviewing professionals in the field and based
on several criteria including curriculum,
faculty, internship opportunity, location,
campus life, and tuition.

The article lists GVSU being ranked
for its liberal arts degree and abundance
of student access to equipment, faculty
and opportunities.
“I’m glad that
the article recognizes the liberal
arts degree – it’s
not an art school,”
said Toni Perrine,
film and video associate
director.
“We have really
good hands-on opPERRINE
portunities for students.”
She said having
the program within the School of Communications helps students get a wellrounded educational base with a specific
degree focus.
“The students really get a very strong
emphasis in film and video,” Perrine
said.
Animation student Keren-happuch
Benavides was shocked GVSU ranked
higher than UofM and Kendall.
“It’s neat knowing we beat Kendall
and UofM, there’s some friendly competition,” Benavides said.
Because the article ranked schools
based on tuition too, Perrine said it
could’ve helped push GVSU one spot
higher than Kendall, which costs almost
$1,000 more to attend per year. She said
it’s more of a bargain for students who

are still looking for a comprehensive education.
Film and video students apply to enter
the program after passing several prerequisites. Perrine said the selective entry
helps to yield the most talented and dedicated students.
And GVSU has many film and video
alumni who have created successful careers, including John Willette and David
Burton, who were nominated for an Oscar
for their special effects work on “Castaway,” and Greg Colton, who received an
Emmy for directing the TV show, “Family Guy.”
While teaching, Morse continues to
create animation art and can see, and help
teach the changing animation skills needed to have a successful career, “Because
there is only one certain thing in this
‘evolution of animation education,’ we
have not reached a plateau. The change

continues.”
She said the focus in teaching animation has been discussed amongst educators over the past few years, and she has
created an idea of the type of education
students need.
“For the long term, what we really
want to model - and teach - are some basic
skills that have nothing really to do with
our discipline,” Morse said. “To teach
students how to learn, how to adapt, how
to ask good questions, how to analyze
and be critical, how to be introspective,
how to think outside the box. To have a
knowledge of the past and present with
an enthusiastic curiosity and a willingness to embrace change. To be respectful of others and our planet. To work for
what is good, to work to leave the world
a better place.”
arts@lanthorn.com

“ Having our program recognized in this manner is an
honor. It is a tribute to the full-time faculty, the staff
and also our many adjuncts who are committed to
quality teaching and learning.”
DEANNA MORSE

ANIMATION PROFESSOR

a&e

Grand Valley Lanthorn

OCTOBER 18, 2012

B5

Jazz students improvise during performance

KAITLYN BOWMAN | GVL

Blown away: Fueled by improvisation and a variety of solo’s, the Grand Valley State University Jazz Combo and Jazz Orchestra wowed the crowd in the Louis Armstong Theater. Lead by GVSU
jazz professor Tim Froncek, who also played the drums and the vibe throughout, the performance included one improvisation number and five rehearsed songs performed by the orchestra.
BY SHELBY PENDOWSKI
GVL STAFF WRITER

T

he Grand Valley State
University Jazz Combo and Jazz Orchestra
played, sang and danced its
way through its Oct. 16 concert in the Louis Armstrong
Theater.
The Jazz Combo, comprised of Cam Miller on alto
saxophone, Dutcher Snedeker on piano, Kaja Lill on
bass, Joshua Dreyer on
drums, and William Scanlon
on tenor saxophone, started
the performance with “Fina-

le Blues,” written by Lill.
“I am happy by the turn
out of people, even though
many were here for classes,
it is good that people took
time to come,” Dreyer said.
The Jazz Combo also
performed “Spain,” which
allowed for each member
to have a solo. Lill interacted with his band mates during his bass performance
and sang with the beat to
himself.
Dreyer and Scanlon performed with the Jazz Combo
and the orchestra, which was
conducted by Tim Froncek,

a GVSU jazz professor.
Froncek conducted the
group on stage, and helped
out by playing several instruments, such as the drums and
the vibe. But he didn’t limit
himself to only conducting
and playing – he was interactive with the audience and
comical with dance moves.
Throughout the concert,
he told stories of different
performers while in classes
and introduced every soloist, including Scanlon,
Dreyer, Julia Gjebic, Janet
Christensten, Willis Dotson,
Tyler Keur, Richie Arn-

GV to host young talent
on High School Vocal day
BY MATT OBERSKI
GVL STAFF WRITER

High school students
from all over Michigan are
coming to Grand Valley
State University Oct. 19 to
see if they have what it takes
to be part of the vocal music
department.
High School Vocal Day
gives prospective students
a chance to check out GVSU’s Allendale Campus,
meet music department faculty members and attend a
master class hosted by guest
artist Robert McIver, professor at the Eastman School of
Music in Rochester, N.Y.
McIver, who has been
working with college vocal
programs for over 40 years,
said he has always been fascinated with teaching. His
father was a college professor and choral conductor,
and his mother was an elementary music teacher. With
all this influence at home
and school, teaching music
came naturally.
“I just decided that’s what
I wanted to do with my life,”
McIver said.
He said the master class
for High School Vocal Day
is an interaction between
high school students and
himself. Students will perform for him, so he can
give feedback and constructive criticism about what

dorfer, Garrett Riley, Ryan
Birko and Eric Saksa.
Froncek said he thought
the show went well, but
would like to include more
solos next time to give students more opportunities to
practice performing.
“I have been playing
the saxophone for years,”
Saksa said. “You have to
prepare for always, not just
one performance.”
The orchestra performed five rehearsed
songs and one improvisation number, which stole
the audience’s attention.

The improvisation was
by freshman Riley, or as
he was referred to onstage,
“Big Daddy G.” He played
the drums and vibe during
the performance. It started
with Froncek on piano and
Dreyer on drums, then Riley
wowed the audience with
his creative beat.
“The performance was
exciting, and overall it was
an amazing experience,”
Riley said.
Most of the Jazz Combo
and Jazz Orchestra members said the show went
really well, and the audi-

ence agreed.
“It was a wonderful
show, and it was the best
when all the performers
came together,” said Sadiah
Cannon, GVSU freshman
audience member.
This was the first of
many performances for
this year’s Jazz Combo and
Jazz Orchestra.
“I thought it went great,”
Froncek said. “This performance broke the ice to audience members and for other
performances.”
spendowski
@lanthorn.com

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Goes Mobile

EASTMAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC | COURTESY

Pitch perfect: Robert McIver instructs a student. McIver will
provide high school students with feedback and constructive
critistim to work on before moving to the college level.

they can work on while in
high school and possibly as
GVSU students.
The two-day event begins Friday with two master
classes by McIver for high
school students, and with
private sessions with GVSU
students afterward.
“We’ll be dealing with
vocal technique, how they
produce sound, and how
that production can be improved,” McIver said.
The master classes will
also provide insight into
how students can effectively
interpret the repertoire they
perform.
“I try to teach all students
of the responsibility they
have to their gift,” McIver
said. “If you want to do it seriously, you have to devote
yourself to it every day.”
Dale Schriemer, GVSU

“ We want students to feel like an
individual on campus, and not just on
of the masses.”

DALE SCHRIMER

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF MUSIC

associate professor of music, said High School Vocal
Day shows students around
campus and the benefits of
GVSU’s music department.
“We want students to feel
like an individual on campus, and not just one of the
masses,” Schriemer said.
The event is to show
students the opportunities
GVSU offers. “You can’t do
that in a brochure,” Schriemer said. “You have to experience what that is.”
Schriemer said the music
department sent out emails
to high school directors to
try to get the most students
possible attending High
School Vocal Day.
“It’s a very high-level
opportunity to study and
learn,” Schriemer said.
“We’re trying to attract the
highest possible talent.”
The master classes are
free and open to the public,
held in the Performing Arts
Center on GVSU’s Allendale Campus.
For more information
about High School Vocal
Day, or the music department, contact Schrimer at
schriemd@gvsu.edu.
moberski@lanthorn.com

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